Bobby Dee Patterson was born on April 29, 1935 to Haywood and Idell Patterson in Fort Stockton, Texas. His siblings were Geneva, L.H., Judy, Stan, and Linda. Bob grew up herding and shearing sheep on his father’s ranch. As a young man, George Bastian challenged him to have a personal relationship with Christ and began praying for Bob. In 1953 Bob enlisted in the U.S. Navy. One night on the U.S.S. Forrestal as he was reading John 3 from his Gideon Bible, he surrendered his life to the Lord, willing to serve wherever He led him. After his service in the Navy, he attended Howard Payne University and participated in a revival at Corinth Baptist Church, where he met Mary Nell Yousey.
Mary was born in Sallisaw, Oklahoma on December 8, 1941, the day after Pearl Harbor. She and her older sister, Oleta, grew up on a farm that had been passed down through several generations. Mary’s house was less than a quarter of a mile from Corinth Baptist Church; it was there that she learned about God’s love and accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior at an early age. Excited to share what she was learning in Scripture, she preached to the cows on the farm. Mary received a Bachelor of Science in Education from Howard Payne University. Mary said that she always wanted to be a pastor’s wife and teacher.
Mary fell in love with Bob when she saw his passion for Christ and love for the Bible. They were married in 1963 at Corinth Baptist Church. While living in Fort Worth, Bob obtained a Masters of Divinity degree from Southwestern Theological Seminary. Soon afterward God called him to pastor at North Loop Baptist Church in El Paso, Texas where they spent forty-four years serving their Lord. They started a school, North Loop Christian Academy, that taught many children about the love of Christ. Bob managed the operations and taught chapel once a week. Mary taught first grade. Many testify that they came to know Christ as their Lord and Savior at that school. Upon retirement, Bob co-taught a Bible class at First Baptist Church.
Bob and Mary exemplified a life committed to the Lord. Days were spent reading their Bible, praying, and sharing the Gospel with whomever would listen. They desired for everyone to have a personal relationship with Christ.
Bob and Mary had two children, Travis (Lisa) Patterson and KayLynn (Rick) Gibson; they had seven grandchildren: Nathaniel, Daniel, Jonas, Travis, Mary Kathryn, Peter, and Joseph.
Visitation – Tuesday, January 4 from 9:00-12:00 at Hillcrest Funeral Home, 1060 N. Carolina. Interment – Fort Bliss National Cemetery. Celebration of Life - Wednesday, January 5 at 1:00 at Calvary Chapel El Paso, 1771 N. Zaragoza. In lieu of flowers, please consider a financial donation to Jews for Jesus: https://jewsforjesus.org
